In short
- Wood in or touching the water needs 2.5 lb per cu ft of CCA treatment. Wood above high water needs 0.40.
- Wood pilings are 8 in at the butt at the least. Concrete ones are 8 in square, 3,000 psi.
- Plain-rebar concrete pilings need 4 bars (#5, epoxy-coated) and 2 in of cover.
- Keep every piling 2.5 ft from a storm drain outfall pipe.
On this page
This dock piling material specs calculator is for Cape Coral owners who have a dock quote in hand and want to know whether the pilings it lists meet the city code before they sign. Pick wood or concrete, enter what the quote says (butt diameter and treatment, or cross section, strength, bars and cover), and it checks each number against Land Development Code section 5.4.10. It uses code text only, with no prices. For how deep to drive them see the dock construction code calculator, and for how many you need the dock piling count calculator.
En español: calculadora de especificaciones de pilotes de muelle en Cape Coral
| Check | Yours | Result |
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Example: a wood piling with a 7 in butt diameter, treated to 2.5 lb per cu ft for use in the water, set 2 ft from a storm drain pipe. Illustrative numbers, not a recommendation.
How the check works
- Pick wood or concrete.
Use what the quote lists for the pilings that hold the dock or lift.
- Enter the size and treatment.
For wood: butt diameter and preservative retention. For concrete: width, strength, bars and cover.
- Say where the wood sits.
Wood in or touching the water has a higher treatment minimum.
- Add the drain distance, if there is a pipe.
Optional. It applies to any piling or mooring post.
- Read each row.
A short row is a question for your builder before you sign.
The written piling minimums
| Item | Minimum | Code section |
|---|---|---|
| Wood piling butt diameter | 8 in | 5.4.10.D, E |
| Wood below high water or touching water | 2.5 lb per cu ft CCA | 5.4.10.F |
| Wood above mean high water | 0.40 lb per cu ft CCA | 5.4.10.F |
| Decking (not a piling) | 0.25 lb per cu ft CCA | 5.4.10.F |
| Concrete piling width | 8 in square | 5.4.10.B |
| Concrete strength | 3,000 psi at 28 days | 5.4.10.B |
| Non-prestressed reinforcing | 4 epoxy-coated #5 bars, 2 in cover | 5.4.10.C |
| Offset from storm drain outfall | 2.5 ft, pipe edge to piling center | 5.4.10.I |
Questions to ask your dock builder
- What are the pilings made of, and what is the butt diameter? Get it in writing on the quote. Eight inches is the minimum for wood.
- What is the treatment retention for the part in the water? Ask for the treater's tag or certificate. The code minimum is 2.5 lb per cu ft below high water.
- For concrete: what are the strength, width and bar schedule? The code asks for 3,000 psi, 8 in square and, for non-prestressed, four #5 epoxy-coated bars.
- Is any piling near a storm drain pipe? Ask the builder to mark the pipe on the drawing and show the 2.5 ft offset.
- How do I choose a builder? See choosing a seawall contractor.
Where the code text leaves room
The code names CCA as the preservative. Whether the permit office accepts another treatment is a question for the Building Official, so we do not judge it. The two retention rules in 5.4.10.A (by depth in the wood) and 5.4.10.F (by location) are checked here only by location, the simpler of the two; ask the treater for both numbers. The bar and cover rule is written for non-prestressed concrete pilings, so we skip it for prestressed ones. Whether a given piling lot actually tests to its tag is a matter for the inspector, not this page.
What the numbers do not cover
Passing these checks does not mean a permit. How deep to drive the pilings, how far apart they sit, the height limits, the fasteners and the side offsets are separate rules, and the permit reviewer decides. The permit steps are in the dock and boat lift permit checklist.
Next step: get a written quote
This tool checks numbers, not the job. We are a referral service, not a contractor; we connect visitors with independent local providers. Use the form below to ask independent local seawall and dock contractors for a written quote, and ask each to list the piling material, butt diameter or width, and treatment on the quote.
Sources
- City of Cape Coral Land Development Code, section 5.4.10 (construction standards), items A to D on page 162 (reader page), and items E to N, including F and I on page 163 (reader page).
Numbers are the limits written in the city code, applied to the figures you enter. The city can amend its code, and the permit reviewer decides. This tool is not a permit determination, legal advice or an engineering review.
Frequently asked questions
How much preservative must a wood dock piling have in Cape Coral?
Section 5.4.10.F of the Land Development Code says wood below mean high water, or in contact with the water in any way, is treated to 2.5 pounds per cubic foot (p.c.f.) of CCA. Wood above mean high water is treated to 0.40 p.c.f., except decking, which may go down to 0.25 p.c.f. Section 5.4.10.A also sets the piling retention by depth: 2.5 p.c.f. in the outer 1.5 inches and 1.5 p.c.f. from 1.5 to 2 inches.
What is the minimum size of a wood piling?
Wood pilings that support a marine improvement or frame it need at least an 8 inch butt diameter (5.4.10.D). Pilings that support a boat lift or other vessel-supporting structure follow the lift maker's specification but may not be under 8 inches in butt diameter either (5.4.10.E).
What does the code require for concrete dock pilings?
Precast concrete pilings need at least 3,000 psi concrete at 28 days and a cross section at least 8 inches square (5.4.10.B). Non-prestressed pilings also need at least four #5 epoxy-coated steel bars the full length and at least 2 inches of concrete cover (5.4.10.C).
How far must a piling be from a storm drain pipe?
Pilings and mooring posts must be offset at least 2.5 feet from any storm drain outfall pipe, measured from the outside edge of the pipe to the center of the piling or post (5.4.10.I).
Does this show whether my builder's piling will pass inspection?
No. It compares the numbers on a quote or drawing with the written minimums. The building official decides, and the code says the most restrictive rule applies where codes conflict.